Busting his way into lineup

Physical UA senior to start at H-back against California

He plays linebacker, defensive end and fullback. Fans frequently
confuse him with teammate R.J. Young, who - like Parish - hails
from Texas.

And don't even try to figure out Parish's jersey number. The
Arizona Wildcats' senior is on his third one since training
camp.

"I started off with 54, then I had 48 because 28 hadn't come
in," he said. "Then I switched to 28."

Starting Saturday, Parish will be easy to pick out. He'll be
starting.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pounder is expected to play H-back when
the 14th-ranked Wildcats open Pac-10 play against Cal at Arizona
Stadium. Starter Taimi Tutogi sprained his left knee in last week's
win over Iowa. Coach Mike Stoops has yet to set a return date,
though it's possible Tutogi could be back for the Wildcats' Oct. 9
game against Oregon State.

Until then, the job is Parish's to lose.

"Any time I can get on the field and help the team … I'll do
anything," Parish said. "I think I'm physical. I like tackling. I
like hitting people. The transition wasn't that big a deal for
me."

Parish, 21, arrived at the UA last fall as a middle linebacker,
the position he played in two seasons at Blinn College in Brenham,
Texas. Wildcats coaches made him a special teams player; Parish
played in all 13 games, registering tackles against Central
Michigan, Oregon State and Washington.

He figured to be in the mix for a starting linebacker job, but
Arizona added junior college transfers Derek Earls and Paul
Vassallo in January and installed both as starters. Parish played
with the second-string defense in training camp until Tutogi's
first injury - a sprained ankle - forced coaches to look for a new
H-Back.

Parish had the right skill set, and plenty of time on his
hands.

"He brings some toughness and a lot of pop," co-offensive
coordinator Seth Littrell said. "He's an older guy and has a lot of
experience hitting people and being physical."

Parish said it took "a little bit of time" to learn the plays
and recognize defenses, but he's getting better every day. Tutogi
has helped Parish learn the intricacies of the position; the
Wildcats' new H-back stays late after practices to catch
passes.

Parish smiles when asked about the switch. The last-minute move
has been more than an adjustment.